Combination cup dispenser and cap remover



March 19, 1968 Filed Jan. 18, 1967 D. A. STALEY COMBINATION CUPDISPENSER AND CAP REMOVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DAVID A. STALEY (fi/(EL ATTORNEY March 19, 19 68 D. A. STALEY COMBINATION CUP DISPENSER ANDCAP REMOVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1967 m m ML m ms A V MWATTORNEY United States Patent M ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support forthe combination of a cup dispenser, a bottle cap remover and a flange onthe dispenser adapted to accommodate a cup as a receptacle for removedbottle closures.

This invention relates to beverage container devices and moreparticularly to a combination device for opening beverage containers andfor providing a supply of beverage receptacles.

Most beverages today such as soft drinks, beer, etc., are supplied forconsumption in containers such as bottles, cans, and the like which aresealed with a suitable closure. By way of example, soft drinks areprovided generally in bottles with a relatively narrow neck, the openend of which is closed by a removable crown cap. Many types of crown capremovers have been proposed most of which are provided with a prying lipfor engagement with the flange of the crown cap and a fulcrum forsimultaneously engaging the central portion of the crown cap to therebypermit the cap when inserted in the remover to be pried off thebottle.'As is well known, the crown cap thus removed from a bottle fallsdownward by gravity and the common practice has been to provide inassociation with the crown cap remover some type of enclosure or housinginto which the caps, which fall after removal, are collected forperiodic emptying. However, in many instances, a crown cap removerwithout such an enclosure is secured to a suitable support in someaccessible location whereupon the caps are permitted to fallindiscriminately and subsequently scattered in the area in anunattractive and disorderly manner. Where the crown cap remover isassociated with an enclosure or receptacle, such as an integral part ofa soft drink dispensing machine, major design factors must be consideredto accommodate the receptacle in association with the remover on themachine adding to its cost and sometimes to its size. Furthermore, somedifiiculty is generally present in obtaining access to the capreceptacle on such machines for the periodic removal of cans which mustbe carried out.

On the other hand, the consumption of bottled beverages and the like,while generally accomplished directly from the bottle, is, in manyinstances, preferably accomplished by pouring the bevarage from thebottle into a suitable drinking vessel such as a glass, paper cup or thelike. Since the paper cup is inexpensive and readily disposable, it hascome into widespread use and various types of dispensers have beenproposed for permitting single cups to be drawn one at a time forbeverage consumption purposes. The popularity of the paper cup has ledto the development ofmany types of such dispensers and paper cups of awide range of sizes are now available. The dispensers available todayare generally constructed for wall attachment and are generally designedto accommodate one specific size of paper cup. This means that theconsumer must obtain more than one dispenser when cups of differentsizes are to be made available for dispensing or the consumer must becontent to use one size of cup if only one dispenser is availableregardless of the quantit of liquid selected by the user on eachoccasion.

In addition, while openers such as crown cap removers of the wallmounted type or of the hand operated type are 3,373,900 Patented Mar.19, 1968 generally available in households and similar areas, the cupdispenser is generally at some other location generally quite remote sothat inconveninece is encountered in locating a paper cup for use suchas when a bottled beverage has been opened. Frequently, the user findsout only after the bottled beverage has been opened that the supply ofpaper cups in the dispenser has been exhausted since the dispenser isnot usually visible from the location of the opener. p

. Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a newand novel combination container opener and cup dispenser.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and'novelcombination container opener and dispenser mounted on a mounting boardattractively shaped as a beverage bottle which may be hung in anyselected wall location. I,

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and novelcombination container opener and paper cup dispenser in which one of thecups of the type dispensed is arranged to be removably supported as areceptacle in closure receiving position below the opener.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and novelcombination bottle opener and paper cup dispenser in which the opener isarranged to open both cans and bottles selectively and in which thedispenser associated therewith serves both as a receptacle for crowncaps removed from the bottle as well as a dispenser for paper cups.

v This invention further contemplates the provision of a new and novelcombination container opener and cup dispenser which locates the cupdispenser adjacent the opener for ready availability, which isattractive in outer appearance, and in which the paper cup dispenser isselfadjusting for accommodating paper cups of ,varying sizes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and novel cupdispenser which is automatically self-adjusting to accommodate papercups of various sizes and which is arranged to support one of the cupsas a receptacle for closures removed from a beverage bottle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

The objects stated and other related objects in this invention areaccomplished by providing an elongate support having a front wall. Anopener for a container having a closure is fixedly secured to thesupport front wall, A cup dispenser is mounted on the support front wallbelow the container opener and means are provided on the upper end ofthe dispenser for supporting one of the cups as a receptacle forreceiving the closures removed from the containers by the opener. Cupsare removable from the dispenser for use as a vessel for the liquidcontained in the container.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of theinvention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its organization and method ofoperation may be best understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the combination container openerand cup dispenser of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view partially in section of the inventionof FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view partially in phantom takensubstantially along line 33 of FIGURE 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, partial, sectional view of the dispenser of theinvention illustrating its self-adjusting feature; and

FIGURE 5 is a side view of a modification of the opener incorporated inthe invention.

3 As generally illustrative of the invention, there is shown in FIGURES1, 2 a combination container opener and cup dispenser which includes anelongate support designated generally by the numeral 11 having a frontwall 12. A container opener such as a crown cap remover designatedgenerally by the numeral 13 is secured to the support front wall 12adjacent its upper end. A cup dispenser designated generally by thenumeral 14 is also mounted on the support front Wall 12 adjacent thelower end of the support 11 below the crown cap remover 13. Asspecifically illustrative of the invention, the support 11 issubstantially planar in shape having a side wall 16 and a rear wall 17and is arranged to be attached to a wall member or the like in anysuitable manner. The support 11 may also be hung from such a wall memberand, to this end, the support 11 is provided with an opening 18 forreceipt of a nail, pin, or the like from which the support is hung. Thesupport 11 is also preferably provided with a configurationcorresponding to a soft drink bottle and therefore comprises a neckportion 11a and a body portion 11b as shown best in FIGURE 2.

As shown in FIGURES l, 2, the container opener 13 is fixedly secured bysuitable means to the front wall 12 adjacent the neck portion 11a. Inthe embodiment of FIGURES 1, 2, the opener 13 is preferably an openercommonly referred to as a crown cap remover of conventional constructionwhich is arranged to remove crown caps from beverage bottles such asglass bottles for soft drinks, soda and the like. As is well known, theremover 13 also includes a forwardly projecting inter- 21, 22 suitablyapertured to accommodate mounting screws 23, 24 respectively for fixedlysecuring the opener to the support front wall 12 as shown. The crown capremover 13 also includes a forwardly projecting intermediate portion 26having an opening 27 in its lower face, a fulcrum pad 28 formedintegrally with the open- -ing 13 which extends into the opening 27 withthe upper edge of the opening 27 providing a prying lip or ledge 29engageable with the fluted flange of a crown cap (not shown). 9

In the well known manner, the closure or crown cap positioned in sealingrelationship on a container such as a beverage bottle or the like isinserted into the opening 27 with the fulcrum pad 28 engaging thecentral portion of the cap and the prying lip 29 engaging the undersideof the cap flange. A downward, pivoting movement of the beverage bottlepermits the prying lip 29 to distort the crown cap flange removing itfrom the bottle.

The cup dispenser 14 comprises a tubular member 31 preferably moldedfrom plastic or the like having an open lower end 31a. In theillustrated embodiment, the tubular @member 31 has an interior 32 and ispreferably formed in two sections, an upper section 33 and a lowersection 34 arranged for interfitting engagement at a joint 36 to formthe tubular member 31.

Means are provided for mounting the tubular member 31 on the front wall12 of the support 11. More specifically, as shown in FIGURE 3, amounting plate 37 is suitably secured by means such as screws 38 to thefront wall 12 of support 11. The mounting plate 37 is rabbeted alongeach vertical edge to form shoulders 39, 40. The mounting plate 37 istherefore arranged to be received, in the well-known manner, within asimilarly formed recess 41 within an extension 42 of the tubular membersection 34 shown generally in broken lines in FIGURE 3. As is wellknown, the corresponding surfaces of the mounting plate 37 and recess 41adjacent the shoulders 39, 40 are suitably tapered so as to wedge themounting plate 37 in the recess 41 as the tubular member section 34 ismoved downwardly into the mounting position of FIGURE 1.

Referring now specifically to FIGURES 2, 4, the interior 32 of thetubular member 31 is arranged to accommodate a plurality of cups 46 invertically stacked, nested relationship. The tubular member 31 is alsoprovided with an open lower end 3141. for aQ fiS t0. the lowermost cupin the stack for anual withdrawal from the tubular member 31 in thewell-known manner.

Means are provided on the upper end of the dispenser 14 for supportingone of the cups 46 to receive the closures or crown caps removed fromthe containers with the opener 13. More specifically, the tubular memberupper section 33 is provided with an inwardly extending, annular flange47 having an annular edge 47a defining an opening 48 for removablyaccommodating one of the cups 46 in supporting engagement beneath thecrown cap remover 13 so as to receive the closure or crown caps removedby the opener. As shown best in FIGURE 2, the flange annular edge 47aengages the side Wall of the receptacle cup 46 for easy installation andremoval when closures received therein are to be discarded. It should beunderstood that although one size of cup 46 is shown in FIGURE 2, largersizes of cups may be supported by the annular flange 46 since theconventionally tapered body of such cups permit the larger cups to besupported higher on the flange annular edge 47a with increasing cupsizes.

Means are provided on the tubular member 31 for yieldingly retaining theplurality of vertically stacked nested cups 46 within the tubular memberinterior 32. More specifically, the upper portion of the tubular membersection 34 is provided with an enlarged diameter forming a shoulder 49as shown in FIGURES 2, 6 to which are attached the upper ends of aplurality of spring members 51 arranged in circumferentially spacedrelationship within the interior 32 of the tubular member 31. Preferablya plurality of slots 52 are provided within the shoulder 49 in which arepositioned the upper end 51a of the spring members 51 having bodyportions 51b extending downwardly within the interior 32 of section 34as shown. The spring members 51 are provided with suitably formed lowerends 51c which are yieldingly engageable with the lowermost cup 46 inthe stack.

The spring members 51 are thus arranged for yielding, uniform, radialmovement so as to be self-adjusting for retaining cups of various sizesin the dispenser 14 and thereby permitting successive withdrawal of thelowermost cup from the stack through the open lower end 31a of thetubular member 31. This selfadjusting feature of the cup dispenser 14,as shown best in FIGURE 4, permits the spring members 51 to moveyieldingly in a selfa-djusting manner from the solid-line position tothe dotted-line position shown to accommodate the large size cup C andthe small size cup C respectively. It will be noted that the lower end51c of the spring members 51 is maintained in engagement with thelowermost cup C, C in the vertically stacked nested cups.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, wherein like numerals indicate like parts,there is shown a modification of the container opener 13 of FIGURES l,2. In the embodiment of FIGURE 5, the opener, designated generally bythe numeral 54, includes a crown cap remover in combination with meansfor cutting a dispensing opening in the metal end 56 of a liquidcontainer 57 such as a beer can or the like. More specifically, theintermediate portion 26' of the crown cap remover is provided with aforwardly projecting lip 58 which is arranged to engage the chime orhead 59 on the container 57. The crown cap remover intermediate portion26 also includes a pair of spaced ears 61 for supporting a pivot pin 62for pivotally mounting a cutting blade 63 having an operating handle 64.If desired, the pivot pin 62 may be removably attached to the ears 61for detachably mounting the cutting blade 63.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 5, the crown cap remover of the combinedopener 54 may be used to remove closures or crown caps from bottles andthe like in the manner described with respect to the embodiment ofFIGURES 1, 2. The crown caps removed fall into the receptacle cup 46'when removed as previously described. When it is desired to open acontainer 57, the can chime 59 is engaged with the lip 58 as shown inFIGURE 5 and the blade 63 pivoted manually by means of the op-- eratinghandle 64 from the dotted line to the solid line position of FIGURE 5 tocut and bend down a portion of the metal end 56 in the well-known mannerthereby providing a dispensing opening.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A combination container opener and cup dispenser comprising, incombination, an elongate support having a front wall, an opener for acontainer having a closure, means for fixedly securing said containeropener to said support front wall, a cup dispenser having an upper endand a lower end for dispensing cups, means for mounting said cupdispenser on said support front wall below said container opener, meansadjacent said dispenser upper end for removably supporting one of saidcups to receive the closures removed from said containers by saidopener, said one cup supporting means comprises an inwardly extendingannular flange on the upper end of said dispenser, said annular flangedefining an opening for accommodating said one cup in supportingengagement therewith.

2. A combination opener and dispenser in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid container opener comprises a crown cap remover and wherein areceptacle for the crown caps removed by said opener is provided by saidone cup.

3. A combination opener and dispenser in accordance with claim 2 whereinsaid container opener also includes means for cutting a dispensingopening in the metal end of a liquid container.

4. A combination opener and dispenser in accordance with claim 3 whereinsaid cutting means includes a forwardly projecting cutting bladepivotally mounted on said crown cap remover, an operating handleconnected to said blade for manually moving said blade into cuttingengagement with said container metal end and means on said crown capremover engageable with said container for positioning said containerfor cutting engagement of said metal end by said cutting blade.

5. A combination opener and dispenser in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid support is substantially planar in shape and wherein said supportfront wall is provided with a configuration corresponding to a softdrink bottle having a neck portion and a body portion, said containeropener being secured to said support front wall adjacent said neckportion and said cup dispenser being mounted on said front wall adjacentsaid body portion.

6. A combination opener and dispenser in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid cup dispenser includes a tubular member having an interior arrangedto accommodate a plurality of cups in vertically stacked, nestedrelationship, means for yieldingly retaining said plurality of cups insaid tubular member interior, said tubular member lower end being openfor access to the lowermost cup in said stack for manual removal fromsaid tubular member, said cup retaining means being arranged for uniformradial movement for self-adjustment to retain cups of varying sizes insaid tubular member interior.

7. A combination opener and cup dispenser in accordance with claim 6wherein said self-adjusting cup retaining means comprises a plurality ofspring fingers arranged in circumferentially spaced relationship withinthe interior of said tubular member, said spring members having upperends attached to the inner wall of said tubular member and having bodyportions extending downwardly within said tubular member interior, saidspring members having lower ends yieldingly engageable with thelowermost cup in said stack to adjustably retain cups of varying sizesand to permit successive withdrawal of the lowermost cup from said stackthrough the open lower end of said tubular member.

8. A self-adjusting cup dispenser comprising, in combination, a tubularmember having an interior arranged to accommodate a plurality of cups invertically stacked, nested relationship, said tubular member having anopen lower end, a plurality of spring members arranged incircumferentially spaced relationship within the interior of saidtubular member, said spring members having upper ends attached to theinner wall of said tubular member and having body portions extendingdownwardly within said tubular member interior, said spring membershaving lower ends yieldingly engageable with the lowermost cup in saidstack to adjustably retain cups of varying sizes, and to permitsuccessive withdrawal of the lowermost cup from said stack through theopen lower end of said tubular member and including an inwardlyextending, an-

nular flange on the upper end of said tubular member, said annularflange defining an opening for accommodating one of said cups insupporting engagement therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,787 4/1913 Nias 22l3081,534,211 4/1925 Hamilton 81-33 1,975,649 10/ 1934 Reifsnyder 221-3 082,766,520 10/1956 Sheperak 16 FOREIGN PATENTS 943,935 12/ 1963 GreatBritain.

WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

